Not thrilled w/ Black Hills 168gr BTHP match ammo

[LFOD1776]

I got a bunch of this from Fulton Armory, and I've decided that it's junk. It shoots poorly in both my Remington 700 SPS tactical and in my LRB M25. The Remmy is a < 1 MOA gun with M118LR, and I'm still trying to determine how accurate that M25 is.

When I say it shoots poorly I mean it shoots 3-4 MOA groups. That's the kind of performance I expect from milsurp ammp, not match loads. If it only happened in one rifle I'd chalk it up to the rifle not liking it, but with two rifles that I know can do better, it makes me suspicious of the ammo.

I'd be interested in knowing from those with experience, what kind of ammo shoots best in your M14-type rifle?

 

[rijndael]

Re: Not thrilled w/ Black Hills 168gr BTHP match ammo

Try FGMM 168 and see how it does. BH is a Hornady bullet while the FGMM is a Sierra.

 

[topgun99]

Re: Not thrilled w/ Black Hills 168gr BTHP match ammo

I don't know what the problem might be but I shoot nothing but Black Hills 168 gr. bthp in my Savage .308 and at 100 yds you can cover the groups with a dime. Probably the most accurate ammo I have shot.

 

[hosshotrods24]

Re: Not thrilled w/ Black Hills 168gr BTHP match ammo

yeah same hear I love shootin these rounds

 

[Silverbullet2]

Re: Not thrilled w/ Black Hills 168gr BTHP match ammo

How much do you have left. I'd be willing to test your ammo for you. I can even give you a report of what I find. JPG

 

[JSTARSZ]

Re: Not thrilled w/ Black Hills 168gr BTHP match ammo

I shoot lots of Black Hills ammo and I have had no issues with it. I find it as accurate as Federal Gold Match 168's. You could easily sell it in the for sale section.

 

[ZLBubba]

Re: Not thrilled w/ Black Hills 168gr BTHP match ammo

LFOD,

That does sound really fishy to me. I honestly wouldn't think you'd be over 1.5MOA with that gun and that ammo. There aren't any other factors that could be affecting this, right? Did you shoot different ammo out of the rifle that day just to make sure it wasn't your scope or rings? I'd definitely give the Federal 168gr FGMM a try, then do some Hornady 155gr tap in the same shooting session. Maybe your rifle just hates the heavier stuff. Give us an update.

 

[LFOD1776]

Re: Not thrilled w/ Black Hills 168gr BTHP match ammo

I was sighting in a new (to me) US Optics SN3-1700 in ARMS low rings as seen here:


The other rifle that didn't like that ammo has a US Optics SN3-2200 in medium ARMS rings as seen here:


I know the Remington shoots very well with M118LR but not with the Black Hills.

Maybe someone would be willing to meet up with me at the Austin Rifle Club and try it out in their rifle?

 

[tpropst]

Re: Not thrilled w/ Black Hills 168gr BTHP match ammo

I bought 2 boxes of the Black Hills 168gr match ammo when I bought my SR. Holes were all over the paper. When I picked up the brass some of the primers were gone. Others were flattened out. Shot Rem Premier match 168gr Matchking BTHP and had .5 moa. It was definately the ammo. Scared the tar out of me that my rifle was junk or thatI was a horrible shot.

 

[unrepentant]

Re: Not thrilled w/ Black Hills 168gr BTHP match ammo

I shot 20 rounds of it through a GAP rifle and was pretty unimpressed. As I recall, the ammo averaged 2" groups, 'way worse than FGM 168's, which hovered in the low point 8''s on the same day. I don't remember exactly the BH group size because I dismissed it outright as a viable choice.

 

[LFOD1776]

Re: Not thrilled w/ Black Hills 168gr BTHP match ammo

I once tried the Remington 168gr match ammo in a different M1A, a Springfield loaded standard model, and it was the <span style="font-style: italic">'shiznit'</span>. I was hoping that the BH would be comparable, just at a better price point. Apparently not for me.

 

[LFOD1776]

Re: Not thrilled w/ Black Hills 168gr BTHP match ammo

I was just looking through my brass from that shooting session and noticed four blown-out primers, three of which were from shells that had obviously been fired when I had the silencer attached (they were exceptionally fouled).

Has anyone else observed blown (missing) primers when shooting their M1A with a silencer? Is that something I should be worried about?

 

[Seuss]

Re: Not thrilled w/ Black Hills 168gr BTHP match ammo

The last batch of BH 175's I used at ASC were
S L O W .............................

 

[livetohunt]

Re: Not thrilled w/ Black Hills 168gr BTHP match ammo

Wow I shoot Black Hills and have had no problems.This is good to know.

 

[3positionshooter]

Re: Not thrilled w/ Black Hills 168gr BTHP match ammo

over rated....start reloading and you will see how inferior BH ammo is compared to a custom handload...

 

[Unknown]

Re: Not thrilled w/ Black Hills 168gr BTHP match ammo

I have tried Black hills 168 and 173 or 175 (can't remember which weight) ammo in both an FN SPR A3G, and a Sako TRG22. Neither rifle liked either ammo. But the same box of ammo in my friend's rifle shot just great. It isn't their ammo, it is one of those weird cases where my rifles just don't like their 308 ammo.

My AR15's LOVE the Black Hills 68/69 grain match ammo though..

 

[ney1]

Re: Not thrilled w/ Black Hills 168gr BTHP match ammo

You should try black hills 338 Lapua ammo shoots 5" groups all day at 100 yards.

 

[AJB]

Re: Not thrilled w/ Black Hills 168gr BTHP match ammo

I had bad luck with the same in my supermatch. I had some 150gr that shot 1.75MOA for 12.95 a box the same day. Needless to say I wont buy Black Hills again.

Federal Gold Match 168gr BTHP is good shit through a M1A.

 

[barnes12]

Re: Not thrilled w/ Black Hills 168gr BTHP match ammo

I have not had a lot of luck with BH ammo either, the 175 308 shots great in my GAP rock, but as far as my other rifles the 223 5r will not shoot any of the 77gr, 52gr, 69gr match ammo under 1.5 and my 338LM GAP does not seem to like the 300gr BH match( have not tried the 250bh yet) however I have found that those two guns love the Horanday ammo, the 223 loves the 75 tap and 75 match, and the 338 loves the 250 hornaday match ammoboth .5 " at 100yds. With my GAP AR 10 it shoots the 175 BH ok .75-1 "at 100 and it does not like the 168 BH match or BH 168 Gold match at all but will shoot the FGMM 168 lights out, looking forward to the new Hornaday 308 match to try. Could be the BH ammo I have tried is good stuff just the majority of my guns just don't like it.

 

[Elvis]

Re: Not thrilled w/ Black Hills 168gr BTHP match ammo

When I ordered my TBA Mike told me to run FGMM, so I did and it shot around an inch at 100 if I was really lucky. Needless to say I was pissed. I ran Black Hills through it and it routinely cloverleafs at 100, which made me very happy. I shot a five shot group at 200 that measured 5/16 of an inch center to center.

Different rifles just prefer different loads. When you find what your rifle likes run with it.

 

[Unknown]

Re: Not thrilled w/ Black Hills 168gr BTHP match ammo

I have tried both blue and red box Black Hills ammo in my TRG22, and SPR A3G. Neither rifle like either the 175, or the 168 grain Black Hills ammo. Both rifles shoot .3 to .4 inch groups at 100 yards with Federal GMM. The same boxes of Black Hills shot fabulous out of my friend's rifle. My rifles just don't like it.

I don't think there is anything wrong with the ammo, it is just one of those weird things in that MY rifles don't like it.